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Reds sending four players to All-Star Game

Frazier, Mesoraco, Chapman and Cueto set to represent Reds in Minnesota

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Five Reds selected as All-Stars 2:28

Aroldis Chapman, Johnny Cueto, Todd Frazier, Devin Mesoraco and Alfredo Simon were named to the National League All-Star team

By Mark Sheldon
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MLB.com |

CINCINNATI -- First-year Reds manager Bryan Price learned about another perk of the job on Sunday when he got to personally inform the players who made the National League All-Star team.

Price had four conversations since four Reds were named to the team. Ace starter Johnny Cueto, closer Aroldis Chapman and third baseman Todd Frazier were elected as reserves on the players ballot. Catcher Devin Mesoraco was selected by NL manager Mike Matheny. The All-Star Game will be played July 15 at Target Field in Minneapolis.

"We've had some challenges early in the year, but we're playing well. We've had some guys that have had excellent seasons," Price said. "We've got some guys who haven't been named for the club that I hope will get some consideration if there's room on the roster with injuries or issues with starting pitching. It was great for me, personally, but certainly impactful and a great moment for the players involved."

"It's going to be exciting," Frazier said. "I've talked to a couple of guys who have been there before. They said to soak it all in, it's going to go fast."

For the Reds, it's the third time in five years they've sent four players to the All-Star Game, but the first time since 2011. Here is some more information about Cincinnati's 2014 NL All-Stars:

Johnny Cueto, RHPPrior ASGs: noneASG W-L: N/AASG Stats: N/AHow he made 2014 NL team: Player selectionWhy he's an All-Star: Cueto is second in the NL in ERA and strikeouts, first in innings pitched and opponents batting average and tied for first with three complete games.Did you know?: In 2014, Cueto became the first pitcher in Major League history since 1900, to throw at least seven innings with five or fewer hits over his first nine starts of the season.Quotable: "You hand Johnny Cueto the ball and you expect to win, and that's the precedent he's set for himself. You expect to be in the game and get a win. It's your horse," Reds right fielder Jay Bruce said on Sunday.

Aroldis Chapman, LHPPrior ASGs: 2012-13ASG W-L: 1-1ASG Stats: 0-0 record, 0.00 ERA, 1 1/3 innings, 2 BB, 2 KHow he made 2014 NL team: Player selectionWhy he's an All-Star: Since coming back from being hit by a line drive in the head on May 11, Chapman has produced some of the best results of his five-year big league career. Dating back to 2013, he has notched at least one strikeout in 36-straight appearances (24 this season).Did you know?: Chapman finally got to meet his daughter, Ashanti after she arrived in the United States from Cuba during the offseason. He had defected in 2009 before she was born.Quotable: "If you're looking to get a left-handed hitter out, because they use so many relievers in the All-Star Game, if you're looking to get one guy out on another team, Aroldis Chapman is the guy that I'm putting in the game. He's a special talent, a special pitcher," said Bruce.

Todd Frazier, 3BPrior ASGs: noneASG W-L: N/AASG Stats: N/AHow he made 2014 NL team: Player selectionWhy he's an All-Star: Leads all NL third basemen in homers, slugging, stolen bases and extra-base hits this season. Frazier has also played exemplary defense.Did you know?: During his rookie 2012 season, Frazier hit a "no hands" home run vs. the Rockies when he threw his bat at the ball in a game at Great American Ball Park.Quotable: "You have goals every year. You're always working on team goals. You work on the team goals and the team player you can be, then individual stuff usually takes care of itself. This first half, it pretty much has," said Frazier.

Devin Mesoraco, CPrior ASGs: NoneASG W-L: N/AASG Stats: N/AHow he made 2014 NL team: Manager selectionWhy he's an All-Star: Despite two stints on the disabled list this season, Mesoraco ranks second among NL catchers in homers, RBIs and extra-base hits. He also homered in five straight games from June 19-24.Did you know?: Mesoraco's 15 home runs are already a career high and the most in a season by a Reds catcher since David Ross hit 17 in 2007.Quotable: "To be picked by Mike, it's extra special for me because he knows what he's looking for in catchers. He knows who belongs and who doesn't as far as catchers go with him being as good of a catcher and leader back there as he was. I think that definitely means a lot," Mesoraco said.

Immediately following the announcement of the American League and National League All-Star rosters on Sunday, fans began voting to select the final player for each league's 34-man roster via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote Sponsored by Experian. Fans can cast their votes from a list of five players from each league until the winners are announced after the voting concludes on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.

The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans help choose the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com and via Twitter in the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote Sponsored by Pepsi, and their collective voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.

MLB.TV Premium subscribers, for the first time, will be able to live stream the All-Star Game via MLB.TV through FOX's participating video providers. Access will be available across more than 400 platforms that support MLB.TV, including the award- winning MLB.com At Bat app. MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities.

The 85th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.